


Enough

by Runic



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotions, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route, Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Post-Canon, Star Gazing, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:49:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26590129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Runic/pseuds/Runic
Summary: Dimitri loves Marianne, and so Byleth steps aside.Claude, however, cannot. He knows how much Byleth is hurting, because the pain of her unrequited feelings for Dimitri are the same he shares for her.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 9
Kudos: 144





	Enough

**Author's Note:**

> For Corrin and Holly! Another fic for their incredible au. I hope you guys enjoy it.

“You should tell him, Teach.”

Byleth blinked at him in surprise as the last notes of the song faded away. His hands slipped from hers, his smile plastered on tight. “I do not know how wise that is,” Byleth said, weighing each word. “There is too much to deal with right now. I won’t give him a distraction.”

“When this war is over then,” Claude insisted, twisting the arrow that had slammed its way into his chest long ago, the wound fresh when he had seen how Byleth looked at Dimitri after they had freed Derdriu. “He would be crazy to deny you.”

/

Dimitri was crazy.

That was Claude’s conclusion at least. 

Look, he was not going to deny Marianne was a wonderful catch, but he knew the hurt it had caused Byleth when the news traveled over the mountains to Almyra. He remembered his words to her after the liberation of Derdriu, the way his hands had lingered on her waist and held her close as they danced. How could he have been so stupid? He let his own bias cloud his judgement, unable to think of anyone denying Byleth.

And he had encouraged her.

How much was she hurting now? 

No. That would not be how he left things.

/

The moment he heard Byleth had taken a job in the former Alliance territory, Claude swept back across the mountains. He had made it just in time, catching Byleth as she and her mercenaries, formerly Jeralt’s, were packing up camp. 

He was successful that day, bringing Byleth back with him. Claude suspected it had more to do with wanting to be away from Fódlan than wanting to come with him.

Claude reached a hand out to her, helping her onto the wyvern behind him. Byleth wrapped her arms around him and they were off, her holding on tight to his waist. 

There were more than a few instances where Claude had to remind himself to breathe. 

/

Bringing her to Almyra had brought Byleth closer to him. Of course it had, that was how logistics worked. But somewhere along the line Claude had convinced himself that was enough, her nearness was all he would need. 

Byleth settled into a comfortable position out of the way of the hustle and bustle of court. She sorted the non urgent letters that were dropped off, wandering the halls of the palace and the roads of the noble estates as she saw the notes to their final destinations.

She was in the palace. She was close and safe. It was enough.

Even if it was somehow worse having her just out of arm’s reach, Claude’s heart thudding traitorously in his chest whenever he caught sight of Byleth going about her duties.

He repeated his mantra, over and over again, convincing himself only of the depths of his denial. 

It was enough.

/

Claude’s letters were always considered urgent, even when they were complaints from Hilda or the status of his sister’s cooking from Raphael. They were handed over directly from the messengers to either his own hand or one of his assistants. There was no reason for Byleth to find her way to his study with a letter in hand. 

And yet there she was, knocking on his door. Claude cut off whatever he was saying to Nader, his mouth dropping open at the sight of her. Byleth’s hair was pulled back into a braided bun, a plain cotton shirt tucked into tanned pants. It was simple, and yet she still managed to take his breath away.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Byleth said in greeting, holding forth the letter. 

“Not at all, my friend,” Claude breathed out in a rush. He waved her in, ignoring Nader’s pointed look, because yes, Byleth was interrupting something rather important, but Claude was not going to send her away. His eyes drank in the sight of her, seemingly unable to get their fill to satisfaction. 

“This got mixed in with some of the other letters from Lysithea.” She handed over the paper, nodding as the smile snaked its way over Claude’s face.

He was a fool.

He felt it in the way he nodded back at her, in the softness of his voice. “Thank you, my friend.”

Byleth nodded once more, turning on her heel. Anyone else would have awaited his dismissal, but there was something refreshing about Byleth doing her own thing. He sighed as she turned the corner, once more leaving his sight.

“You need to do something about that,” Nader said, judgement lacing his words.

Claude grumbled a response, busying himself with opening Lysithea’s letter rather than admitting Nader was correct. He already knew what he wanted to do, and it was going to be the exact opposite of what his old mentor would counsel.

/

Bright smiles and a nervous heart greeted Byleth on her first day as his assistant. What was he doing? She was even closer now, but still out of reach. He wanted her to feel safe, to have a place she could heal, but if he continued down this road he risked ruining Almyra for her as well.

“My friend!” Claude greeted, throwing his arms open wide and welcoming.

Byleth shook her head, a strained smile on her lips. It was progress from the bland stare he was met with months prior when he first proposed she come across the mountains. She was, at least, able to make an attempt now. “I still think you would be better off with someone in this position who knows more of Almyran politics.”

“Oh, but the requirement for my assistant is someone I can trust,” Claude countered, waving a finger at her. “In that case, I can think of no one better.”

Byleth stared at him, blinking her shock away. “I...Thank you,” she finally managed, bowing her head.

“Please don’t do that, my friend.” He heard the strain in his voice, felt his fingers twitch in their desire to reach out for her. “You are the one person I know who will still treat me as myself, crown or no.”

Understanding flickered behind Byleth’s eyes. This time she nodded instead of bowing. “Very well then. If you would like to get started, Kir has some requests for construction within the city.” Byleth handed over a stack of papers for Claude to inspect. “Jahan is arriving today as well. I have added him to your lunch party so you can have a more private greeting without actually greeting him alone.” She handed over another paper, this time a schedule with names listed for the luncheon. It was a mix of the old guard and Claude’s own supporters. The perfect mix so that the minister could not take offense, while also being unable to ambush Claude with demands.

“What was that about not being good at this?” Claude teased. His brows lifted as he flipped through the requests from his cousin. Byleth had already arranged Kir’s appeals from most useful to frivolous. 

He could swear he saw the faintest hint of a blush on her cheeks before she turned around. “I shall be just outside if you need me.”

Claude watched Byleth walk out of his study, closing the door behind her. He knew she was just there, so close now.

He ran a hand through his hair, laughing at himself. Wasn’t it fitting that she was finally so close and yet there was still a door between them.

/

Claude rubbed his temple, trying hard not to sigh in the minister’s face. Dealing with Jahan was always an ordeal. The man was stubborn as a bull wyvern. And Claude did not fault him for it. Jahan was minister to one of the seven territories of Almyra, he fought hard to make sure his people prospered. It was just that sometimes he did not understand that Claude had to oversee all of Almyra, and cater to the needs of all seven territories. 

“It is ridiculous!” Jahan shouted, continuing with his tirade. “I am suspected to bend over backwards while Talal has everything handed to him! Forty more shipments of grain to his territory over mine! Forty! When his population is three fourths the size of mine!”

Behind him, Claude caught Byleth’s face frown at the minister’s words. “Jahan, if this matter needs to be investigated, you must give me time to do so. I cannot come up with the figures for you off the top of my head.”

Jahan stopped in his tirade, foot tapping against the tiled floor. “Byleth, put Jahan down for a breakfast meeting with me in two days,” he instructed, standing from behind his desk. Claude placed a hand on the older man’s shoulder. “You served my father well, and I respect your leadership, Jahan. Allow me this time to investigate.”

The minister’s eyes turned to Byleth, scratching away at a piece of paper as she updated Claude’s schedule. “You have not disappointed me yet,” Jahan admitted as if Claude were pulling a rotted tooth from his mouth. “Two days.”

Claude breathed a sigh of relief as the study door closed behind Jahan, leaning back against his desk and tilting his head up to the ceiling. “What was that look you gave, my friend? When Jahan mentioned the forty shipments.”

“There were multiple letters sent between Minister Talal and the quartermaster the last time he was in the city. I delivered the letters myself to Minister Talal’s estate.”

Claude raised a brow. That alone was not suspicious, but there were warning bells already going off in his head as Byleth delivered her statement. Her tone was flat, in no way swaying toward accusing or dismissive. 

“When I was there last, Minister Talal was preparing to leave. He had the shipments with him, some of which were being loaded into a cart with his personal belongings. I did not think anything of it at the time, but Minister Jahan’s words made me remember it.”

Claude nodded, not about to leap to conclusions, but grateful for the windfall of information. “Thank you, my friend. Don’t worry, Talal will not be apprehended without proof, but it is a relief to have a direction in which to look.”

  
  
  


The investigation did not last long. Two of Claude’s elite guards dumped a sniveling Talal, admitting his guilt in the hopes of saving his life, at his feet the morning of his breakfast with Jahan. Claude sent a silent prayer to the currently invisible stars for Byleth and her time as a messenger. 

/

“Byleth.”

She started, having lost herself gazing out at the stars through the study window. “Sorry,” she said lightly. “I wanted to come in here to arrange things for tomorrow and got distracted.”

He knew better. He knew he should not step so close to her, and yet Claude’s feet took him to the window, pressing up to her with only a hair’s breadth to separate them. “I can see why I find you here so often,” Byleth was continuing, but Claude’s eyes were watching the way her lips formed the words. Why was he doing this to himself? Why did he let himself dream of lips he could never kiss? 

His hand was reaching up before he could stop it, brushing a strand of hair that had fallen in her face back behind her ear. His fingers lingered over the shell of her ear, wanting to trace out and memorize every shape of her.

“Claude?” she asked, blinking up at him.

Claude snatched his hand away, slamming it back against his side. “Ah, sorry.”

“No,” came Byleth’s slow melodious response. Her own hand reached up, tracing over the spot Claude had touched, whether to linger on the thought of it or brushing it away he could not tell. “It’s okay.”

It wasn’t, not really. Claude was going to have to be more careful. He could not get caught alone with Byleth under the starlight again. Not if he was losing control of himself so easily. 

“Come on,” Claude encouraged. “It’s late, and I bet you haven’t eaten yet.” The guilty expression on her face was the only confirmation he needed. “Ah, see, that’s what I thought. You take such excellent care of us, my friend, I just wish you would show yourself the same kindness.”

Byleth let him lead her away from the window, but they stopped again in the study doorway. “Byleth,” Claude began, staring into those beautiful mint eyes he saw on the edges of his unconsciousness right before he woke up. “Are you happy here?”

She seemed surprised by the question, but seriously considered the question once she had processed his words, in that way she always did when one of her students presented her with a complicated question. “I don’t know,” she finally answered.

His heart did not shatter, but Claude certainly felt as if a crack had appeared. He had not known how much he hinged on her answer until it actually came.

“But,” Byleth was continuing, “I don’t feel sad anymore, not like I did after the war and I was wandering around Fódlan. Although, maybe numb is a better word to describe it.” She shifted her feet, the change in position drawing her closer. Claude took a deep breath. She still smelled like blade oil and flowers, something so uniquely Byleth. “I...I’m at least happy you brought me here. I needed the change.”

Claude smiled at her, feeling the way it crinkled the skin around his eyes. “I’m really glad you’re here.” The words felt ripped from his throat, not for a lie, but for the weight of truth that lay beneath them. 

Byleth smiled, soft and sweet, with only the briefest hint of loneliness at its edges. “Come on. You told me to take care of myself, and now you are the one keeping me from my dinner.”

Claude placed a hand over his heart, mouth falling open in faux shock. And then Byleth giggled. It was the most beautiful noise he had ever heard, and she had made it because of him.

“You’re right, as always. Let’s go, my friend.”

/

Claude knew something was wrong the instant Byleth walked through the door. Her hand shook as she handed over the requests and letters that had arrived for him that morning. She placed them down, without even explaining what she was giving to him as she usually did. 

And then she was back out the door, the wooden portal closed behind her.

Claude only had to look down to find the offender. A thick envelope rested on top, sealed in blue wax and stamped with the griffin of Faerghus. 

“Damn it, Dimitri,” Claude muttered as he ripped open the letter. There were rumors, of course he had heard, and by his proximity to him Claude was sure Byleth had heard them as well. The letter was an announcement that only served to confirm.

Marianne was pregnant. She and Dimitri were expecting their first child. 

And Byleth was obviously not over her feelings for the Fódlani king.

/

“Good evening, my friend.”

Byleth blinked at him, her eyes trailing over his shoulder to the white wyvern that stood behind him. “Good evening?” Byleth replied, more a question than a greeting. 

Claude reached out a hand, smiling reassuringly at her. “Come on. I think we both deserve a bit of a break. Don’t you?”

Byleth hesitated. Claude could see her thinking it over, the desire to simply wallow in her current despair and let it drag her down still strong even after days had passed since the letter’s arrival. He continued to hold his hand out, waiting for her to make her choice.

And when her hand slipped into his, Claude’s heart soared before his wyvern had even taken flight.

Claude pulled her up, positioning Byleth in front of him and wrapping his arms around her. He resisted the urge to lean in and bury his face against her neck. He already felt he was perhaps crossing a line he should not, and he did not want to take that final step and make her uncomfortable. 

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” Claude whispered, adjusting his hold on her as she jumped at the first beat of the wyvern’s wings. He wrapped his cloak around them both, keeping them warm against the chill of the night air, his wyvern slowly circling in the sky above the city. 

Gradually Claude felt Byleth relax against him, her head tilted back against his shoulder to stare up at the sky. “Are they what you wanted to show me?” she asked.

“The stars?” Claude asked to clarify, receiving a nod in response. “Yeah. I come up here sometimes when I need to clear my head. Can’t really think of any place more peaceful.”

Byleth hummed, settling against him, her eyes glued upwards. Unaware that Claude’s eyes, for the first time, had no interest in the stars. Watching Byleth’s face relax, catching that moment when a smile began to pull at her lips, so very faint, was its own kind of heaven. 

“My father and I used to do this,” Byleth said, shattering the silence. 

Claude almost jumped at the sound of her voice, only then realizing how deeply he had fallen into his own thoughts.

“When I was little,” Byleth continued as if she had not noticed, her voice wistful as she recalled memories of Jeralt. “Sometimes, after a mission, he would get really quiet. Usually he drank, but sometimes it seemed he didn’t have the stomach for it. He would take me outside, and we would look at the stars as he told me stories about them. I...I think he missed my mother very much, in those years right after her death.” Byleth shook her head, as if she could knock the thought loose from her mind. “I’m sorry. I did not mean to bring up something sad.”

“That’s all right, my friend,” Claude answered softly. His hand gave hers a gentle squeeze of reassurance, his chest aching when she held on tightly right back. “Sometimes you need to let yourself be sad.”

“Do you think that is what I need to do with my feelings for Dimitri?” she asked. 

Claude was not at all surprised that Byleth had worked out why he had invited her up here. It did not take a genius to figure out his motives, and Byleth was far above that. “I think you need to grieve, and so far you have not let yourself do so. You suffered a broken heart, Byleth. It doesn’t heal overnight, but you put on a brave face so Dimitri and Marianne would not suspect anything was wrong, and you have fought so hard to keep it in place long after it was needed.”

Byleth scoffed harshly. “My heart doesn’t even beat. How can it be broken when I don’t have the ability to feel anything.”

“Byleth.” Her name came from him in a rush, pulling her back against him in a tight embrace. Stars above, is that what she really thought of herself? “Byleth, that’s not true. You loved Dimitri. You cared about your students. Every smile you’ve shown me here has been real. I have treasured them. Every laugh...You are the most open and honest person I have ever met, Byleth. Whatever Rhea did to you did not keep you from feeling, it did not take away your humanity.”

He wished he had something cleverer to say to her, but the only words that lingered on his tongue were forbidden. They were ones Byleth could not accept right now. Perhaps she would never be ready to hear them, and in that case Claude would have to process his own broken heart. He wanted so desperately to make everything better for her.

“Will you tell me about them?” Byleth asked after a long silence had passed between them. “I find I miss hearing stories about the stars.”

A deep breath to calm himself before Claude answered. “Of course, my friend.” They were back on familiar territory now. Claude could speak of the stars for hours, retelling the stories behind constellations and detailing the movements of each one throughout the seasons. Byleth was an attentive audience, discussing the merits of certain points when she felt she had something to add to the conversation. 

But eventually Claude felt his wyvern snort, shaking his massive body beneath them in warning. The moon had long since traveled across the sky, the time well past midnight. Claude hated to have the evening come to an end, but he would not wear out his loyal mount, his other closest friend. 

“There we go,” Claude whispered as they landed, patting the wyvern’s side. “Thanks, buddy.”

“Thank you.” Byleth voiced her own appreciation, scratching at the back of the wyvern’s neck. The massive beast purred and threw his head back, leaning into Byleth’s touch, earning himself an extra scratch. 

Claude was absolutely not jealous.

“And you, Claude,” Byleth thanked him as well. “I...I think I needed that.”

“I’m glad, my friend.” He held her hand as he helped her dismount, sliding off behind her in a smooth practiced motion. Byleth’s eyes dropped to their linked hands, Claude’s own gaze following her down. He gave her one last squeeze, allowing himself that brief moment he needed to will himself to let go. “Get some rest, Byleth. You’ve more than earned it.”

Byleth stared at him, studied him, and Claude found himself unable to pull away from those eyes. But eventually she nodded and made to step around him. “Thank you again, Claude. For everything. That includes bringing me here.”

And then she was walking back toward the palace, leaving Claude to shout after her if he wished to have the last word in the conversation. No. That was all that needed to be said for now. His wyvern butted his head against Claude’s shoulder, grumbling about being denied his own rest.

“She’s happy here,” he whispered, petting the wyvern’s nose before taking the path back to the stables. “She’s glad to be here. And right now, that is enough.”


End file.
